Family and friends gathered at Sydney Airport to farewell Coaches Marty Rabjohns and Ron Batt with their respective Australian Men’s and Women’s Junior Fours heading to Baynoles Spain for the World Junior Championships. The Men’s Junior Four from SUBC consists of Toby Dankbaar (Stroke), Clayton Currie 3, Richard Allsop 2 and Justin Medcraft, bow with Toby Lister as cox.
First stop is Kuala Lumpur where the two fours will meet up with the Junior Quad and Double from WA – they left from Perth later today.
Rowing runs in the family it seems, as Verena Stocker and Elsa O’Hanlon in the Women’s Four are both from families with strong rowing connections. Toby Dankbaar follows in his father’s footsteps in representing Australia and Richard Allsop follows brother Ian who apart from winning this event in 2002 in Lithuania is also representing his country in the U23 Aussie Coxed Four.
The team initaily touches down in Europe at Amsterdam and goes into training camp with their new equipment in Holland for a week or so before heading to Baynoles for the Championships.
The trip is the culmination for both crews of a long process of selection, training and fund-raising to make the tour possible. Both Junior Fours were able to leave with tour costs fully covered by the fund-raising efforts of their parents, friends and rowing clubs.
Also joining the team today at Sydney Airport was the team doctor and SUBC alumnus Dr Phil Coles. Phil specializes in cardiology and rowed at SUBC in the early 60’s .
Our photo shows the two Junior Fours with their coaches just prior to departure.